


the deal

by endlessxriver



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Character Death, Gen, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes Needs a Hug, James Rhodes & Tony Stark - Freeform, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Tony Stark, Sacrifice, Slash if you squint, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Vormir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 20:07:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18924148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessxriver/pseuds/endlessxriver
Summary: Rhodey and Tony go to Vormir...





	the deal

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know why i did this. 
> 
> i like pain.

On the isolated land, the atmosphere is quite eerie. Almost bleak and empty, but in a way... peaceful. As he follows close behind Tony, Rhodey looks up at dark purplish sky and feels a shiver run down his spine.

_I don't like this._

After a few minutes of walking along the mountain, they suddenly have to stop. A hooded figure emerges in front of them, silent. Instinctively, Rhodey steps close to Tony and puts a hand on his forearm. The latter raises his repulsor, ready to attack.

“ Who the hell are you? “ Tony asks, eyebrows furrowed.

As the stranger approaches, revealing the lines of his face, Rhodey lets out a gasp.

“ Red Skull “ he hears Tony say.

This is... unexpected. The Red Skull is supposed to have been dead for years. And yet-

“ _James, son of Roberta. Anthony, son of Maria. Welcome._ “ the ghost states, his voice calm and gravelly.

Rhodey takes a step forwards.

“ How do you know our names? “

Red Skull sighs.

“ _It is my curse to know everyone who journey here._ “

He then turns around, his robes floating and for a second, he reminds Rhodey of a Dementor from those Harry Potter movies the kid loves so much. He looks over at Tony, who have stayed uncharacteristically silent at his side, then follows as the skull lead them up the way.

“ _I presume you're here for the stone._ “ Red Skull says.

They have reached the edge of a cliff, surrounded by two giant block of rock, their tops disappearing among the dark clouds.

“ So, where is it?” Tony asks, looking around the empty land impatiently.

Rhodey stands on his guard, a weird feeling in his guts. The armor almost feels heavier than usual. Red Skull joins his hands together and speaks :

“ _You must kn_ _ow that to ensure that whatever possesses it understand its power, the stone requires a sacrifice._ “

Tony huffs.

“ Of course!” he mutters, rolling his eyes. “ What kind of sacrifice does the stone _requires_ , Goebbels? Do we have to make a blood pact and swear fidelity to Hitler's ghost?”

“ Tones.” Rhodey warns, keeping his eyes on the skull who didn't react a bit at the taunter.

Tony ignores him.

“ Bring it over, we're ready!”

“ _We all think that at first,_ ” The Stonekeeper answers, imperturbable. “ _We are all wrong._ ”

He gestures towards the infinite landscape in front of them.

“ _In order to possess the stone, you must lose that which you love. A soul for a soul._ “

 

*** 

 

They both stand away from the edge of the cliff. Rhodey pacing, heart constricted in his throat and Tony, sitting on a rock, fingers rubbing at his goatee.

“ This has to be a fucking joke,” Rhodey mumbles. “ A sick fucking joke.”

Tony closes his eyes.

“ It's not. Think about it ; Thanos went to Vormir with Nebula's sister and came back alone. “

Rhodey shakes his head, raising his hands in a gesture of defeat.

“ Then we must leave. We- we'll find another way to get that stone.”

Tony lets out a sigh. Their eyes meet for a second and Rhodey doesn't like what he sees in the brown irises. A terrible glint. _Determination_.

“ We can't,” Tony says. “ We promised. Whatever it takes. “

He starts to stand up but Rhodey gets to him in a flash, wrapping firm hands around his arms.

He thinks about a hot desert, palladium poisoning, New York, a nuke and a wormhole. He thinks about Pepper, beautiful in her wedding dress, her eyes watery. He thinks about Morgan laughing when her father plays with her and gives her piggy back-rides.

Rhodey thinks about a skinny, loud kid in a crappy dorm-room, with dark shadows around his eyes and a far too big brain. About Las Vegas and a drunken fake exchange of vows and how they had laughed, and how they had been _happy_...

Tony opens his mouth to argue, but Rhodey cuts him off :

“ I know what you're about to do, Tony. You think I'm an idiot? “

“ Rhodey-”

Tony tries to shake himself out of his best friend's grip. Rhodey's eyes starts to burn. He smiles nonetheless.

“ Remember Vegas?” he asks.

Tony stops struggling.

“ Of course I remember. Elvis kept hitting on you, right in front of me, the asshole.”

Rhodey chuckles gently, his throat tight.

“ I've still got that fake certificate. It's framed in my office.”

A silence. Then :

“ I know, honeybear. Mine is on my bedside.”

They both laugh at how cheesy this sounds. Then they fall silent again, and something passes between them. It hurts Rhodey's chest and he is pretty sure Tony can feel his hands shaking. He's never been afraid of death before. Hell, even when he was shot and was so close to his demise. But this-

This is real. This is the most terrifying thing he ever had to do in his life. He has to do it. He _can do_  it.

_Whatever it takes._

Rhodey releases his grip around Tony and stands. He tries to take a deep breath, but everything happens in a heartbeat. Something hot hits his chest-plate and send him flying across the wall of rock.

He grunts in pain as his body slams against the hard surface, then falls on his hands and knees. Tony stands above him, right gauntlet raised, blaster fuming. _God dammit!_

“ I'm sorry, platypus. Tell my family I love them. ”

_No fucking way._

Rhodey doesn't waste time. He jumps back on his feet, his jaw clenching.

“ Tell them yourself! “

He activates his thrusters and hurls himself against Tony before the man can reach the end of the cliff. Once he is tackled on the ground, Rhodey straddles him and grips his wrists.

Anger bubbles inside his stomach. How can Tony even think of leaving his family behind? Why is this fool so damn sacrificial?

“ You stay down, Stark.” Rhodey orders, teeth barred.

“ Only one person can make it out of there,” Tony answers, not missing one bit, “ and it's not gonna be me.”

Before Rhodey can tell him to shut the hell up, he is violently pushed aside by two iron fists. He lets out a yelp as Tony tumbles towards the edge of the cliff, close, way too close.

“ _TONY!_ ”

Faster than ever, Rhodey gets to his feet and runs to catch up after him. Once he's there, he wraps his arms around his best friend's waist to keep him close. Tony stops in his tracks. Rhodey can feel the tremors running through his body, despite the armor.

“ I can't let you fall, James. Not again.”

His voice is a whisper. Rhodey's vision blurs with tears. He shakes his head, grasping tightly. Tony puts a hand on his forearm, squeezes hard.

“ Let me go,” he says, voice cracking. “It's okay.”

“ No.” Rhodey's tone is final. Tony is stubborn.

“Please, James I-”

Red with anger, with grief, with _pain_ , a pain so intense he is numb, Rhodey forces his friend to turn around so he can look at him in the eyes. A single tear rolls down Tony's cheek and the words die in his throat.

“ Now you listen to me, man,” Rhodey says “ I told you once, I'm here for you. I will always be _here for_  you, no matter what happens to me.”

He places a trembling hand on the man's chest, on the glowing arc-reactor. On his heart.

Slowly, he can feel the fear dissipating, spreading a weird sensation in his veins. Tony stares back at him, hurt and scared, but all Rhodey can think of is the smile on his face from whenever he looks at his wife and child.

And oh god, it is worth it. It is definitely worth it.

Rhodey knows that war require sacrifices. He has seen so many men and women give their lives to keep others from harm's way.

And he has lived. He has lived, has loved, has been loved in return. He has had friends, and lovers, and family and if the world has a chance to get better thanks to him, then it is worth it.

_A soul for a soul._

“ You'll get through this, buddy. You've got a baby girl and an amazing wife waiting back home. You've got a kid who needs _you_ , Tones. Me? I've done my part.”

“ Please don't-”

“ Remember our deal? Back in MIT, when you couldn't stand on your feet because of sleepless nights, unhealthy habits and fights with your dad. You remember what I used to say to you, man?”

Rhodey is crying too now, but he doesn't care. Tony gives a jerky nod.

“ ' _You fall, I catch you_.'” he answers, voice shaking.

“ Yeah, that's right, Tones. _You fall, I catch you_. That's the deal. But this time- this time, you're not gonna fall. You're never gonna fall again. I forbid you.”

Slowly, so slowly, as if to not startle him, Rhodey turns his best friend around so he is now the one facing the edge of the cliff. He raises his hand and rubs his knuckles against Tony's damp cheek.

“ I love you, man. Take care of them. ”

Tony chokes on a sob.

“ I love you,” he says, weakly, “ So much.”

Rhodey squeezes his friend's arms one more time, his armor dissolving around his body. He smiles, nods, closes his eyes.

And without second thought, he lets go.

 

Somewhere, as he falls to his death, he hears Tony call his name.

 _It's gonna be okay,_ James Rhodes thinks. _Everything will work out exactly the way it's supposed to._

 

 


End file.
